Extruding and processing apparatus



3 Sheet-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6.5/15 N/NG ATITORNEV G. E. HENNING EXTRUDING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS Nov. 1, 1949.

Filed Dec. 15, 1947 Nov. 1, 1949.

Filed Dec.

G. E. HENNING 2,486,474

EXTRUDING AND lfROCESSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR G. E. HENN/NG ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1949. G. E. HE NNING 2,485,474

EXTRUDING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS- Filed Dec. 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 lNl/ENTOR G. 5. HE/VN/NG A T TORNE Y Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE EXTRUDING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS George E. Henning, Baltimore, Md.,-assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 15, 1947, Serial No. 791,751

8 Claims.

This invention relates to extruding and processing apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for extruding and vulcanizing insulating and jacketing material upon conductors.

In the manufacture of filamentary articles composed either wholly or partially of vulcanized material, such as, for example, insulated or jacketed conductors, a vulcanizable compound is sometimes advanced continuously under heat and pressure through an extrusion head by means of a stock screw acting in an extrusion cylinder to which the extrusion head is bolted. It has been proposed that a strainer be positioned between the extrusion cylinder and the extrusion head to prevent lumps of the extruded material or extraneous matter from appearing in the finished product. An extruding die is secured at the exit end of the extrusion head to form the extruded compound into a filament. The filament then is advanced through 2. splice box, which is connected to the exit end of the extrusion head and to a vulcanizing tube, and into and through the vulcanizing tube.

Debris collects on the strainer so that the strainer must be cleaned or replaced relatively frequently during the operation of such apparatus. To clean the strainer, the extrusion operation is stopped, the extrusion head is unbolted and disconnected from the extrusion cylinder, the strainer is cleaned or replaced, the apparatus is reassembled and the extrusion operation is started again. Hitherto, the time required to disconnect the extrusion head from the cylinder has been excessive.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved extruding and processing apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved extruding and vulcanizing apparatus having parts that may be assembled and disassembled rapidly.

An apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention includes an extrusion cylinder, a chamber for processing organic material extruded by the extrusion cylinder, an extruding head movable between engaging and disengaging positions with respect to the extrusion cylinder, and a generally tubular body mounted for movement toward and away from the extruding head when the extruding head is in said closed position for connecting the extruding head to the processing chamber.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an apparatus forming a specific embodiin pressure-tight head l2 ismounted pivotally with respect to the ment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, front elevation of an extruding and'vul'can'izing apparatus embodying theinvention with portions thereof shown in section; v Fig. isan enlarged, horizontal section along line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is aschematic view of a portion of the apparatus.-

taken --Referring-now in detail to the drawings, there 15 shown therein a continuous extruding and vulcanizingapparatuawhich includes an extrusion cylinder Hi,- an extruding head I 2, and a splice box I4, which is telescopically mounted with respect to a vulcanizing tube 16 and serves to connect the extruding head to the vulcanizing tube relationship. -The extruding extrusion cylinder ill bya yoke l8, a pintle 20 ancl a bracket 22 fixed to the extrusion cylinder. These elements form aloose pivotal connection between the extruding head and the extrusion cylinder. A male threaded member 24 is fixed to the extruding head and a female threaded collar 26 is mounted thereon. The collar 26 is .providedwith camming segments 28-28 for engagingcamming segments 3ll-3ll formed'on a body member 32 of the extrusion head l2. The camming segments 28-28 and 30-30 and the members 24 .and 26 form a breech lock to selectively secure the extrusion head [2 tightly to ,theend of the extrusion cylinder and press the extrusion head. I2 tightly against the extrusion cylinder toform a sealedjoint therebetween.

. The extrusion head [2 includes a backing plate 36,secured to the body member:32 thereof, a straining screen 38 mounted removably therein, a tool holder 40, a die holder 42, a die 44, a core tube 46,- a core, tube holder 48 andalock nut 5i], vAn adapter 52 is fixed to the body member 32 of the extrusion head, and has a gasket seat '54: formed thereon, in which gaskets 56 56 are seated. An, end 58 of the splice box I4 is designed to be pressed tightly against the. gaskets plate 68 may be manually slid to one side by a handle I2 to uncover an opening II in a cover I3 to provide access to the interior of the splice box to string cores through the apparatus. The splice box is provided with bearings I4'I4 which are designed to slide upon a guide rod I6 supported by a standard I8. A link 80 is pivotally secured to the splice box I4 and to a link 82, which is pivotally secured to a bracket 84 mounted on a fixed support 86. A bracket 88 secured to a piston rod 90 is pivotally secured to the links 80 and 82 at their junction point and forms a toggle joint linkage therewith.

The piston rod su is secured to a piston 92 mounted slidably in a cylinder 94, which is pivotally secured to a bracket 96, and a compression spring 98 normally urges the bracket 88 upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, to tend to move the splice box I I to the right to press the end '58 of the splice box tightly against the gaskets 5u56 (Fig. 2). when hydraul c iqu under pressure is introduced into the upper end of the cylinder 94, it moves the piston :12 downwardly therein to move the splice box to the leit, as viewed in Fig. 1, which moves the end so or the splice box I4 compietely away lrom the extrusion head I2.

A clevis luu secured to a piston rod I02 is'pivotally secured to a lug lu l lastened to the collar 2c. A piston IUu' is mounted slldaoly in a cylinder m8, Wll-lCll is pivotally secured to a bracket nxed to the standard I8. when hydraulic liquid under pressure is introduced into the upper end oi the cylinder 108, as viewed in Fig. 1, the piston Ice is lorced downwardly to the position in which it is shown in the drawings. This movement rotates the collar 20 on the member 24 to lock the extrusion head I2 to the extrusion cylinder I0. When hydraulic fluid is introduced into the lower end of the cylinder I08, the p ston I06 is moved upwardly therein, and the collar 26 is moved in a counterclockwise direction to free the extrusion head from the extrusion cylinder.

In order to prevent damage to the apparatus by movement of the extrusion head I2 when the splice box I4 is in engagement with the gaskets t..56, it is essential that the extrusion head I2 be locked to the extrusion cylinder III before the splice box I8 is moved into sealed relationship with respect to the cylinder, and to move the splice box I4 away from the extrusion head before the extrusion head is unlocked and moved away irom the extrusion cylinder. To accomplish these ends, a control system H2 (Fig. 3) is provided. The control system includes an electric motor I I4, which, when energized, serves to drive a pump II6 which pumps a hydraulic fluid, such as oil, under pressure from a storage tank H8 through a pipe I20 to a solenoid-actuated, four-way valve I22 of a well known type.

When the extrusion head I2 (Fig. 1) has been swung manually to a 'closed position with respect to the extrusion cylinder I0 (Fig. 1) and it is desired to lock the head to the extrusion cylinder and to move the splice box I4 into pressure-tight engagement with the head I2, the valve I22 is actuated manually to connect the pipe I20 with a pipe I24 and to connect a pipe I26 to an exhaust pipe I28 leading back to the supply tank H8. Fluid under pressure then passes through the pipe I24 and a flexible conduit I30 into the upper end of the cylinder I08 to move the piston rod I02 rapidly to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. Hydraulic fluid is forced from the lower end of the cylinder I08 through a flexible conduit I32 and a pipe I34 to a sequence valve I38 of a well known type, which permits rapid flow of fluid from the pipe I34 to a pipe I38, connected to the pipe m5. Thus, the hydraulic liquid is pumped rapidly into the upper end of the cylinder I08 and is exhausted rapidly from the lower end 01 the cylinder lot so that the head l2 (Fig. 1) is locked quickly.

When the pipe I26 is connected to the exhaust 9. 9. 28 by actuation of the valve I22 to start to 100K the head I2 rapidly, the pressure on the liquid in the upper end of the cylinder 94 is relieved so that the compression spring moves the piston rod 90 slowly upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 8, to move the splice box I4 (Fig. 1) slowly toward the extrusion head. As the piston 92 is moved upwardly, it forces hydraulic liquid from the upper end of the cylinder 94 through a flexible conduit I40 into a flow control valve I42 of a well known type. The valve I42 restricts the rate of flow of the hydraulic liquid from the flexible conduit i40 to a pipe I44 connected to the pipe I28 by permitting the liquid to flow only through a restricted, adjustable orifice I45. As a result, the liquid in the upper end of the cylinder prevents the splice box I4 (Fig. 1) irom being closed rapidly. Thus, the head I2 is locked before the end 58 of the splice box I4 engages the gasket 56. Hence, there is no shearing force on the gasket 58 in closing the head and the splice box.

When access to the interior of the head I2 is desired, the valve I22 (Fig. 3) is actuated to connect the supply pipe I20 to the pipe I28 and to connect the exhaust pipe I28 to the pipe I24.

The IIG pumps the hydraulic liquid under high pressure rapidly through the pipe I26, the pipe i4il, a lightly pressed check valve I40 of the flow control valve I42 and the conduit I40 into the upper end of the cylinder 94 to rapidly move the piston 92 downwardly. When the piston 92 reaches its lowermost position and the splice b x I4 ig. 1) has b en m ve completely ay from the extrusion head I2, the pressure on the hydraulic fluid in the pipes I26 and I38 begins to build up. After the pressure is built up to a predetermined value, it opens a closure member Idil, which is pressed towards its closed position by a strong compression spring I50, and flows through the pipe I 34 and the conduit I32 into the lower end of the cylinder I08 to unlock the head I2 (Fig. 1) from the cylinder I0 rapidly. The hydraulic liquid in the upper end of the cyli der I08 is exhausted through the conduit I30, pipe I24, the valve I22 and the exhaust pipe Tha s. hen th h ad I i o e p d he hydraulic liquid is supplied rapidly to the pipes i9 8 and I44 by the pipe I20, but the liquid at this time is not under a pressure sufficiently high open the closure member I48 while it is high enough to move the piston 02 downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 3. Any hydraulic liquid which might leak past the piston 92 into the lower portion of the cylinder 94 is drained from the cylinder 94 through a flexible conduit I52 and a pipe I54 connected with the supply chamber II8. However, after the piston 92 has been moved to the lower end of the cylinder 94, and the pump IIG continues to work, the pressure on the hydraulic liquid is built up rapidly to a value sufficiently to move the closure member I48 of the sequence valve I36 to an open position so that the fluid passes into the lower end of the cylinder I08 and unlocks the head I2.

When the head I2 is locked to the cylinder in and the splice box I4 is moved into sealed relationship with respect to the head, a core I60,

which may, be a. bare or covered conductor is strung through the core tube holder 48, the core tube 46, the die 44, the die holder 42, the splice box and the vulcanizing tube I6. The core is advanced continuously from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 2. A stock screw I62 is rotated to force plastic material through the extrusion cylinder and the head I2, and the die 44 forms the material into a covering I64 around the core. Steam is introduced into the vulcanizing tube to vulcanize the covering as the covered core is advanced therethrough.

- Operation der 94, as viewed in Fig. 3, but is prevented at this time from entering the lower end of the cylinder IE8 by the sequence valve I36. After the piston 92 hasbeen moved to the bottom of the cylinder 94 to move the splice box I4 (Fig. 1) completely away from the extrusion head I2, the pressure on the liquid builds up and flows through the sequence valve I38 into the lower end of the cylinder I88 to rapidly unlock the extrusion head I2 (Fig. 1) from the extrusion cylinder Ill. The flow control valve I42 permits rapid flow of the hydraulic liquid therethrough during this operation since the lightly pressed check valve I46 (Fig. 3) opens. The head I2 then may be swung manually completely away from the cylinder I to provide access to the back side of the head.

To reclose the apparatus, the head I2 is swung manually into a closed position, and the valve I22 (Fig. 3) is actuated to connect the supply pipe I20 to the pipe I24, and the exhaust pipe I28 to the pipe I25. When this occurs, the hydraulic liquid is pumped rapidly to the upper end of the cylinder Hi8 and is exhausted rapidly from the lower end of the cylinder I68, since the sequence valve I36 permits rapid flow of the liquid from the pipe I34 to the pipe I38, so that the head I2 (Fig. l) is rapidly locked to the extrusion cylinder Ill. While the head I2 is being locked to the cylinder I0 rapidly, the compression spring 98 (Fig. 3) urges the piston 92 upwardly and hydraulic liquid is forced thereby through restricted orifice I45 of the flow control valve I42, which permits the hydraulic liquid to flow therethrough from the conduit I413 to the pipe I44 very slowly. These operations are so timed that the splice box I4 (Fig. l) is approaching the extrusion head I2 when the locking of the extrusion head I2 has just been completed. The flow of liquid from the upper end of the cylinder 94 (Fig. 3) continues until the splice box is in sealed engagement with respect to the extrusion head I2.

The above-described apparatus serves to provide ready access to the inside of the extrusion cylinder I0 and to the back side of the extrusion head I2, and also provides pressure-tight connections between the extrusion head I2 and the extrusion cylinder I0 and the splice box I4. Access to the straining screen 38 is provided rapidly so that the material in the cylinder I0 and the head I2 does not set therein. Furthermore, it is not necessary to unstring and restring the core I60 to clean or replace the screen and restart the extrusion and vulcanization.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming plastic coverings over filamentary strands, which comprises an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion head designed to be moved into close fitting engagement with the extrusion cylinder, means for locking the extrusion head to the extrusion cylinder, a chamber for processing organic material extruded through the extrusion head, tubular connecting means movable from the material processing chamber toward and away from the extrusion head for connecting the chamber to the head, and means for actuating the locking means prior to movement of the connecting means into engagement with the extrusion head.

2. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion head movable toward and away from the extrusion cylinder, means for moving the extrusion head toward the extrusion cylinder, means for selectively locking and unlocking the extrusion head from the extrusion cylinder, a material processing chamber, means selectively movable toward and away from the extrusion head to connect it to and disconnect'it from the chamber, time delay means for sequentially locking the extrusion head to the extrusion cylinder and for moving the connecting means into engagement with the extrusion head, and time delay means for sequentially moving the connecting means out of engagement with the extrusion head and unlocking the extrusion head from the extrusion cylinder.

3. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises extrusion means, an extrusion head, means for look-- ing the extrusion head in engagement with the extrusion means, a material processing chamber, means movable toward and away from the extrusion head for connecting the extrusion head to the material processing chamber, means for moving the connecting means into engagement with the extrusion head, quick-acting means ior actuating the extrusion head locking means, and slow-acting means for actuating the connecting means moving means so that the extrusion head is locked in engagement with the extrusion means before the connecting means is moved into engagement therewith.

4. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises extrusion means, an extrusion head movable toward and away from the extrusion means, a material processing chamber, means movable toward the extrusion head for connecting the material processing chamber to the extrusion head, quickacting means for moving the connecting means out of engagement with the extrusion head, and slow-acting means for unlocking the extrusion head from the extrusion means so that the connecting means is moved out of engagement with the extrusion head before the extrusion head is unlocked from the extrusion means.

5. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion head designed to be moved into and out of engagement with the extrusion cylinder, a material processing chamber, means movable into and out of engagement with the extrusion head for connecting the extrusion head to and disconnecting it from the material processing chamber, hydraulic means including a sequence valve for locking the extrusion head quickly into engagement with the extrusion cylinder and for unlocking the extrusion head slowly from the extrusion cylinder, and means including a flow control valve for moving the connecting means slowly into engagement with the extrusion head and for moving the con- 7 fleeting means rapidly out of engagement withthe extrusion head.

6. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion head movable toward and away from the extrusion cylinder, means for locking the extrusion head in engagement with the extrusion cylinder, a material processing chamber, means movable toward and away from the extrusion head for connecting and disconnecting the extrusion head and the material processing chamber, means including a sequence valve for actuating the locking means to rapidly lock the extrusion head to the extrusion cylinder and for unlocking the extrusion head from the extrusion cylinder slowly, and means including a flow control valve for moving the connecting means into engagement with the extrusion head slowly and for moving the connecting means out of engagement with the extrusion head rapidly so that movements of the connecting means and the extrusion head are not concurrent.

7. An extrusion apparatus, which comprises an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion head movable toward and away from the extrusion cylinder, pressure tight locking means for locking the extrusion head to the extrusion cylinder and for unlocking the extrusion head from the extrusion cylinder, a vulcanizing tube, a splice box mounted telescopically with respect to the vulcanizing tube for connecting and disconnecting the vulcanizing tube to and from the extrusion head, a toggle joint linkage for moving the connecting means into and out of engagement with the extrusion head, means including a flow control valve having a check valve and a restricted orifice in parallel with the check valve for actuating the toggle joint linkage to move the connecting means ,vulcanizing tube, 2. splice box having a tubular end portion fitting telescopically with respect to the vulcanizing tube. a slide for supporting the splice box for movement toward and away from the extruding head, a toggle-joint linkage for moving the toggle-joint linkage toward and away from the extruding head, means for urging togglejoint linkage in a manner such as to urge the splice box into engagementwith the extruding head, a cylinder, a piston connected to the cylinder and to the toggle-joint linkage, and selectively operable means for introducing a hydraulic fluid under pressure into an end of the cylinder to move the toggle-joint linkage against the action of the linkage-urging means to move the splice box away from the extruding head.

' GEORGE E. HENNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,993,384 Royle Mar. 5, 1935 2,035,247 Royle Mar. 24, 1936 2,069,087 Forstrom et al. Jan. 26, 1937 2,438,003 Edwards et a1. Mar. 16, 1948 

